Last September 22, WYAAP hosted an Ayala Museum Tour in Makati city Philippines. Around 30 people attended the said event. As culture is one of the main thrusts of WYA, activities like this help us gain a deeper understanding of our historical past that help shaped our current community. Through visiting the different galleries, one is reminded of behaviors and lifestyles of people, which may serve as guide in making better decisions for today’s challenges. The galleries include: A section on the gold of our ancestors, 18thCentury Philippine textile and costumes, Chinese ceramics, 19th-20thcentury artworks with featured paintings of Fernando Zobel and Fernando Amorsolo, and a section of dioramas capturing events in our Philippines History.
Here are some of the reflections from our current interns who joined us in the event.
By: Franco Sambile
This tour was a nice change of pace, to get out of the WYA office and learn about our nation’s culture and history. I have only been to the museum once and I only got to stay in the first floor so everything was new to me. There wasn’t anything that didn’t catch my attention in the museum. It was as if every piece in the museum was telling me a story and I couldn’t help but listen. From the ancestral gold pieces to the dioramas of Philippine history, I couldn’t help but read every bit of information and look at every amazing detail. It spoke to my inner “wanna be” artist. Each collection allowed me to see the history and the different social dynamics of the past. You can’t help but develop a certain sense of pride and respect for the culture and history behind our nation that has been greatly shadowed in the recent years.
By: Trixie Peralta To be honest, I haven’t been to museum since I was in grade school, so I was really excited when I found out we would be going to the Ayala Museum. When we got there, the Museum really lived up to all the hype. The exhibits featuring our ancestors’ gold, ceramics and clothing transported us all into another time. The juxtaposition of Amorsolo’s and Ayala‘s paintings showed a beautiful contrast between classical and modern art. But my favorite part of the tour was the diorama exhibit featuring the history of the Philippines. I’ve taken Philippines History subjects before, but the exhibit made me experience my country’s rich heritage in a whole new way. A beautiful merge of modernity and history, the Ayala Museum is a place every Filipino,young and old alike, must visit.
By: Carmelo BalagtasThe meaning of the ‘art’ cannot be easily explained, it takes courage to put your emotion on a blank canvas and let others understand those thoughts finally painted. From the creations of both Fernandos, Amorsolo and Zobel, I had better appreciation of the art, as these masterpieces were drawn out of the artists’ emotions and were moved by Filipino Life and Contemporary art respectively. Knowing the stories of each work of art and having been able to be surprised by the great collection found in Ayala Museum is such a breaker from a usual schedule plus a great reminder for one to spark his love for his country.
We look forward to your participation in our future cultural tours. For more updates on our next events check out our facebook or follow us on twitter @wyaasiapacific. Let’s continue to help educate young people about our history and remain committed to the mission of promoting human dignity!
